CN1541069A - Improved emulsifier system for the preparation of dehydrated starch components - Google Patents

Abstract

Described is an improved emulsifier system suitable for use in making dehydrated starch ingredients. Also disclosed are a process for making the dehydrated ingredients using the improved emulsifier systems, doughs made using the dehydrated ingredients and the process for making those doughs, and food products containing the dehydrated ingredients.

Description

Improved emulsifier system for the preparation of dehydrated starch components

Cross References to Related Applications

This application claims priority to the following U.S. Provisional Applications: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/235,291, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/235,290, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/235,449, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/235,298, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/ U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 235,289, all of which were filed on September 26, 2000.

field of invention

The present invention relates to improved emulsifier systems for the preparation of dehydrated starch components. Such dehydrated starch components are used in the formulation and production of starch-containing food products, including products made from potato, wheat, corn, rice and tapioca starches. Dehydrated starch components made using the emulsifier system of the present invention are particularly useful in the preparation of other food products made from dehydrated starch components, including but not limited to dehydrated mashed potatoes.

Background of the invention

Numerous methods and compositions are known in the art for preparing food products derived from dehydrated starch components. Although the processing of these products has been carried out for several years, some problems have been encountered in reproducing the product structure, flavor and overrun ratio in a narrow (and predictable) range to ensure that the product is prepared with continuous consistent quality. Many starchy snack products are prepared from "work in progress". Issues related to the expansion characteristics of semi-finished products, such as the amount of oil absorbed during expansion when frying semi-finished products, and the structure and flavor of finished snacks, make it more important to develop better recipes that can be used to prepare doughs that produce an expanded The snacks have lower oil content and improved texture and flavor compared to conventional expanded snacks.

Starchy products comprising dehydrated fruits, grains and vegetables, especially potatoes, have become extremely common. These most popular products include faux potato chips, corn chips, pretzels and extruded or puffed products. Starch-containing products are generally made by mixing water, flavors, emulsifiers and other materials with the dehydrated starch component. The mixture is then typically extruded and/or sheeted and cooked (eg, by baking or frying) to form the final product. Control over finished taste and other organoleptic characteristics depends largely on the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of the dehydrating component raw materials.

Manufacturers and producers of raw ingredients for starch-based starch-containing snacks can increase productivity, reduce production costs, or both by using the improved emulsifier system of the present invention. Formulators and manufacturers of different starch-containing foods can have significantly better control over microstructure if ingredient suppliers can provide better ingredients to formulators and manufacturers, thereby improving the flavor development, appearance, structure and quality of the resulting formulated foods. /or eating quality.

In addition, the use of the improved emulsifier system of the present invention minimizes changes in finished product aging (ie, off-flavor or staleness). In addition, the emulsifier system can reduce the oil content in artificial fried or baked starchy snacks.

The improved emulsification system of the present invention provides greater flexibility in the way snacks are formulated using rice, wheat, corn, and potato (eg, pellets, flakes, or other dehydrated potato forms) components. This leads to potential cost reductions and flavor improvements, or both. Furthermore, using the improved emulsifier system of the present invention, it is possible to formulate different products (baked as well as fried) exhibiting a range of microstructures and structures.

In the artificial starchy food industry, the cost and speed of the manufacturing process is also important. The improved emulsifier system of the present invention provides an optimization of process control that allows for maximum line speed control of formulation and production (eg, tailored microstructures).

The emulsifier system also provides starch-containing foods that exhibit improved dough anti-stick properties; these anti-stick properties are important to aid in formulation, processing and manufacturing flexibility, and in the production of embossed snacks such as Pringles ^Ridges® especially important. Furthermore, these anti-stick characteristics are of importance in weaker "weaker" doughs (eg, reduced sheet strength) such as those used for biscuits and tortillas.

The improved emulsifier system of the present invention can be used to reduce the amount of emulsifier required during the dehydration process. In particular, it reduces the amount of emulsifier required as a processing aid in tumble drying operations. This reduces the cost of raw materials, as well as the potential for the formation of off-flavors due to oxidation. In addition, the improved emulsifier system of the present invention mitigates potato cell breakdown in tumble drying operations, which can lead to higher levels of flavor precursors. This gives starchy foods an improved flavor.

For fat-free snacks such as those fried in olestra oil (a fat-free oil), the emulsifier content in the dehydrated starch component can be reduced. This allows formulators to increase the content of other sources of triglycerides and still provide a finished product with reduced fat content, which is required to make a fat-free claim in most regions.

In addition, during granule production, the improved emulsifier system of the present invention reduces agglomeration of potato cells during fluidization and spray drying.

Summary of the invention

In one aspect, the present invention relates to an improved emulsifier system for use in the preparation of dehydrated starch components, wherein the emulsifier system comprises an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: (i) polyglycerol having 2 to about 10 glycerol units Main-chain polyglycerol esters in which not more than about 40% of the hydroxyl groups are partially esterified with fatty acids (as described below, these esters are generally referred to herein as "polyglycerol esters" or "PGE"), (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of preparing a dehydrated starch component. In a particular embodiment, the method of the invention is used to prepare dehydrated potato components. The method includes the following steps:

(a) cooked potato chips;

(b) forming the cooked potato chips into mashed potatoes;

(c) drying mashed potatoes to provide a dehydrated potato component;

(d) optionally comminuting dehydrated mashed potatoes; and

(e) adding an emulsifier system at any time prior to forming the dehydrated potato component in step (c); wherein the emulsifier system comprises an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: (i) having Polyglycerol esters (PGE) of a polyglycerol backbone wherein not more than about 40% of the hydroxyl groups of the polyglycerol ester are partially esterified with fatty acids, (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a dehydrated potato composition comprising an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of (i) PGE, (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a dough composition comprising:

(a) about 35% to about 85% starch-based flour comprising a dehydrated starch component containing an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: (i) PGE, (ii) DATEM, and ( iii) mixtures thereof;

(b) from about 15% to about 50% of added water; and

(c) Optional dough emulsifier.

In another aspect, the invention relates to food products comprising these dehydrated starch components.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to an improved emulsifier system for preparing a dehydrated starch component, wherein the emulsifier system exists as a stable dispersion at a temperature of at least about 80°C. The applicants have found that emulsifier systems exhibiting these characteristics, including some of the above-mentioned systems containing PGE and DATEM, offer several advantages over existing emulsifier systems. In this regard, the present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of the dehydrated starch component described above, wherein the emulsifier system is present as a stable dispersion at a temperature of at least about 80°C. In addition, the present invention relates to dehydrated starch components comprising emulsifiers present as stable dispersions at temperatures of at least about 80°C, doughs made using these components, and food products comprising these components.

Figure overview

Figure 1a is a photomicrograph of a 10% aqueous dispersion of stabilized bis-triglyceryl monopalmitate at a temperature of 45°C.

Figure 1b is a photomicrograph of a 10% aqueous dispersion of the same bis-triglyceryl monopalmitate which is stable after holding at a temperature of 80°C for 5 minutes.

Figure 2a is a photomicrograph of a 10% aqueous dispersion of stable monoglycerides (ie, about 50% monopalmitin and about 50% monostearin).

Figure 2b is a photomicrograph of a sample of the monoglycerides described above after being held at a temperature of 80°C for 5 minutes. Loss of birefringence clearly indicates loss of dispersion at elevated temperature.

Detailed description of the invention

I. Definition

As used herein, the term "added water" refers to water that has been added to the composition. Thus, for example, inherent moisture present in dry dough components (eg, for flour and starch sources) is not included within the scope of the term "added water".

The term "alpha-stable" or "α-stable" refers to a material, such as an emulsifier, that is capable of maintaining the alpha polymorphic form. It is common for emulsifiers to change from alpha to beta' and thereafter to the beta polymorph. In the present invention, an α-stable emulsifier is desirable because of its higher emulsifying function.

The term "comprising" means that different components and processing steps can be used in combination in the practice of the invention. Accordingly, the term "comprising" includes the more restrictive terms "consisting essentially of" and "consisting of".

The abbreviation "cps" means centipoise.

The terms "dehydrated starch component" and "dehydrated starch material" are used interchangeably and refer to dehydrated potato products (flakes, flanules, granules, flakes, nuggets, powders, flour, granules, shreds ); dehydrated wheat products (flakes, flanules, granules, flakes, nuggets, powder, flour, granules, chips); dehydrated rice products (flakes, flanules, Granules, flakes, nuggets, powder, flour, granules, chips); dehydrated corn products (flakes, flanules, granules, flakes, nuggets, powder, flour, granules, chips); and dehydrated Tapioca starch products (flakes, flanules, granules, flakes, nuggets, powder, flour, granules, chips).

The terms "diacetylated tartrate esters of monoglycerides" and "DATEM" refer respectively to a mixture of products obtained by reacting diacetylated tartaric anhydride with monoglycerides. This reaction forms a complex mixture of different components, the most important components being diacetyl tartrate of monoglycerides (DATEM I), di-(diacetyl tartaric acid) esters of monoglycerides (DATEM II), diglycerides diacetyl tartrate (DATEM III) and monoacetyl-(diacetyl tartrate) monoglyceride (DATEM IV). See Danisco Ingredients Technical Paper TP2-1e, available from Danisco Cultor (New Century, KS).

The terms "diglyceride monoglyceride" and "DGME" respectively refer to a preferred type of polyglycerol monoester for use in the present invention. DGME is a polymer of two glycerol units with one fatty acid esterified on a diglycerol backbone. Especially preferred diglycerols are those esterified with palmitic, oleic or stearic acids, or mixtures of fatty acids with intermediate melting points.

The term "di-triglyceride monoglyceride" refers to a mixture of polyglycerol monoesters, preferably polyglycerides, mainly comprising DGME and triglyceride monoglycerides.

The term "dispersion" refers to an emulsifier system that exists as a colloidal system in water. These systems include dilute lamellar liquid crystals, hexagonal, crystalline and mixed crystalline phases. The term "stable dispersion" refers to a dispersion which exists for at least 5 minutes at the temperature given. The method for determining whether an emulsifier system exists as a stable dispersion is described in the section 'Analytical Methods'.

The term "dough emulsifier" refers to an emulsifier added during dough preparation based on the emulsifier present in the dehydrated starch component used.

The term "extrudate" refers to the wet dough sheet immediately after exiting the extruder.

The terms "starchy food" and "starch food product" are used interchangeably and refer to man-made crisps, tortillas, wheat flakes, biscuits (cream biscuits and sandwiches), soft tortillas, rice cakes, cereal-based Food products, extruded snacks, mixed cakes, Newton snacks, etc. The starchy food may be sweet, salty or savory.

Unless otherwise stated, the terms "fat" and "oil" are used interchangeably. Both terms generally include digestible fatty substances including, but not limited to, digestible and nondigestible fats, oils and fat substitutes.

When applied to starchy foods, the term "finished product" refers to a consumable product that has been finished (e.g. baked, fried, baked and then fried, or fried and then baked) to produce a ready-to-eat finished product .

The term "flour mix" refers to the mix of all dough components excluding water. "Flour mix" includes all dry ingredients, as well as any other ingredients such as liquid emulsifiers.

The term "semi-finished product" refers to moderately moist snack pieces capable of expanding in volume after frying. The term includes pellets, circles and complex shapes such as shells, letters, numbers, symbols, animals, flowers, spirals, twists, cones, faces, tubes, fry and stars expandable sheet.

The terms "intermediate melting" and "IM" refer respectively to an ester formed from a mixture of a fatty acid that is liquid at room temperature and a fatty acid that is solid at room temperature. Examples of fatty acid mixtures include, for example, mixtures of palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, stearic acid and other C18 trans fatty acids. Partial hydrogenation is one method of preparing IM fatty acid esters.

The term "lecithin" includes conventionally acetylated lecithin, hydroxylated lecithin, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated lecithin, and other suitable lecithin or lecithin-like compounds, such as deoiled lecithin, lysolecithin, egg lecithin Phospholipids, egg yolk powder, phosphatidylcholine-rich lecithin, phosphatidic acid and its salts, lysophosphatidic acid and its salts, and phosphorylated monoglycerides and mixtures thereof. Lecithin mixed with other emulsifiers is also suitable, for example ^Centromix® E, available from Central Soya, Ft. Wayne, IN. is a mixture of lecithin and Tween.

The term "mesh" refers to the number of holes per square inch of screen or sieve. In other words, mesh is the square of the number of metal or plastic strands per linear inch. All mesh sizes quoted in this article refer to the US Standard Sieve Series.

The term "modified starch" refers to starch that has been physically or chemically modified to improve its functional characteristics. Suitable modified starches include, but are not limited to, pregelatinized starches, low viscosity starches (e.g. dextrins, acid-modified starches, oxidized starches, enzyme-modified starches), stabilized starches (e.g. starch esters, starch ethers), Crosslinked starches, starch sugars (eg glucose syrup, dextrose, isoglucose) and starches which have been subjected to combined treatments (eg crosslinking and gelatinization) and mixtures thereof.

The term "moisture" refers to the total amount of moisture present in the material. For dough, "moisture" includes the inherent moisture present as well as any water added to the dough components.

The term "monoglyceride" refers to a mixture of glycerides (mono, diglycerides and triglycerides) in which at least 80% of the glycerol backbone is esterified with one fatty acid. Monoglycerides can be prepared by reacting glycerol with triglycerides (ie, glycerolysis) to produce monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides. The desired monoglyceride content is typically achieved by molecular distillation of the above reaction mixture. Alternatively, monoglycerides can be produced enzymatically.

The term "mono-diglyceride" refers to a mixture of glycerides in which about 30% to about 60% of the glycerol backbone is esterified with one fatty acid. Mono-diglycerides can be prepared by reacting glycerol with triglycerides (ie, glycerolysis) to produce monoglycerides, diglycerides, and triglycerides.

The term "chubs" refers to the short or broken pieces of potato that are separated from the potato after it has been cut into French fries. These pieces are generally a by-product of the end portion of French fries.

The terms "polyglycerol ester" and "PGE" are used interchangeably and refer respectively to a polyglycerol ester having a polyglycerol backbone comprising from 2 to about 10 glycerol units, wherein the polyglycerol ester has no more than about 40% of the hydroxyl groups are esterified with fatty acids. For the sake of brevity, the applicant uses the following abbreviated nomenclature to denote PGE:

Number of glycerol units - number of esterification groups - abbreviation for fatty acid ester groups

For example, use the shorthand "2-1-P" to refer to diglyceryl monopalmitate; use the shorthand "6-2-O" to refer to hexaglyceryl dioleate; use "2,3-1-S" to refer to Di-Triglyceryl Monostearate. For this nomenclature, the following definitions apply to the fatty acid side of polyglycerides: O = oleic acid; P = palmitic acid; S = stearic acid; IM = intermediate melting fatty acid.

The term "free polyalcohol" refers to the portion of the polyglycerol backbone that is not esterified in a given polyglycerol ester sample.

The term "psig" means pounds per square inch.

The term "sheetable dough" refers to a dough that can be placed on a smooth surface and rolled to a desired final thickness without breaking or forming holes.

The term "flakes" refers to the thin potato slices that are separated from the product after the potatoes have been cut into french fries. These pieces are generally a by-product from the long sections of French fries and are usually shorter than French fries.

The term "starch" means a natural or unmodified carbohydrate polymer derived from sources such as wheat, corn, tapioca, sago, rice, potatoes, oats, barley, amaranth, etc. and having repeating anhydroglucose units; Modified starches, including but not limited to hydrolyzed starches such as maltodextrin, high amylose corn, high amylopectin corn; chemically substituted starches, crosslinked starches; and mixtures thereof. Starch-based ingredients include, but are not limited to, potato flour, potato granules, corn flour, corn dough flour, corn grits, corn grits, buckwheat flour, rice flour, oat flour, soybean flour, barley flour, tapioca starch, and modified starches , native and dehydrated starches derived from tubers, pods and grains, such as corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, waxy corn starch, oat starch, tapioca starch, waxy barley starch, waxy rice starch, Sticky rice starch, sweet rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch and mixtures thereof.

All amounts, parts, ratios and percentages used herein are by weight unless otherwise specified.

All percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

II Improved emulsifier system for the preparation of dehydrated starch components

As noted above, the applicants have discovered that emulsifier systems that are more functional than existing emulsifier systems are particularly useful in preparing dehydrated starch components. Currently, saturated monoglycerides are used exclusively in the starch dehydration industry. Under commonly used dehydration conditions of high temperature (typically 80° C. to 95° C.) and high humidity (greater than 50% humidity), saturated monoglycerides exist mainly as cubes plus an aqueous phase, which is the less functional phase. To compensate for their lower functionality under typical dehydration conditions, saturated monoglycerides are typically used at levels of about 0.3 to 0.5% of the resulting dehydrated starch fraction normalized to 0% moisture content by weight.

Applicants have surprisingly found that the improved emulsifier system of the present invention is sufficiently functional in the dehydration process in the range of about 0.005% to about 0.2%, the percentages being normalized to 0% moisture content Measured by weight of the dehydrated starch component. Thus, the benefit of using the emulsifier system of the present invention is that formulators of starchy food products are able to reduce the amount of emulsifier required as a processing aid during tumble drying operations. This reduces the cost of raw materials and also reduces the likelihood of off-flavor formation due to oxidation. In fat-free foods such as snacks fried in a non-digestible fat such as ^Olean® (sold by Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, OH), by reducing the amount of emulsifier in the dehydrated starch component, end producers can use Other sources of triglycerides, while providing a low-fat option while meeting regulatory requirements in many regions for labeling foods as "fat-free."

Conventional dehydrated potato fractions processed with monoglycerides lead to significant amylose complexing with the emulsifier, resulting in a decrease in the free amylose content. The applicants have found that dehydrated fractions made using the emulsifier system of the present invention will contain high levels of free amylose due to the reduced degree of complexation between the free amylose and the emulsifier. This can provide additional sheet strength when preparing dough for the production of starchy products. Thus, the emulsifier system of the present invention provides beneficial effects even when emulsifiers are used at levels commonly used in the art (eg 0.3 to 0.5%).

In a preferred aspect, the emulsifier system is alpha-stable after forming a finished product prepared using the dehydrated starch component prepared according to the present invention.

In one aspect, the emulsifier system comprises PGE. As defined in Section I, the term PGE as used herein refers to a polyglycerol ester having a polyglycerol backbone comprising from 2 to about 10 glycerol units, wherein not more than about 40% of the hydroxyl groups in the polyglycerol ester are Fatty acid esterification.

Those of ordinary skill in the art readily appreciate that PGE is typically not available in pure form (i.e. not a single polyglycerol ester), and is usually (unless additional purification or distillation steps are taken) a mixture of different esters with different polyglycerol backbones . For this reason, when reference is made herein to a molecular type, it is meant that the substance referred to is "predominantly" that substance. For example, a substance known as diglyceride monoglyceride contains diglyceride monoglyceride as the major component, but often also other polyglycerols (eg, triglycerol to decaglycerol) and glycerol molecules. Materials containing monoglycerides typically also contain polyglycerols having a different number of ester groups; eg, diesters, triesters, tetraesters, decaesters, and the like. In addition, as will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art, there will be unreacted polyglycerol and other by-products or "impurities". In the context of this application, the word "mainly" means that, depending on the context, the emulsifier system or individual emulsifier comprises at least about 40% of the named component; typically, the content of this component is at least about 60%.

In one aspect, the backbone of PGE contains 2 to about 8 glycerol units. In another aspect, the PGE backbone contains 2 to about 5 glycerol units, and in yet another aspect, the PGE backbone contains 2 or 3 glycerol units.

Regarding the amount of esterification, in one aspect the polyglycerol is not more than about 35% esterified with fatty acid groups. In another aspect, the polyglycerol is at least about 20% esterified.

PGE is typically at least about 80%, more typically at least about 90%, and most typically at least about 95% saturated fatty acid esterified. In addition, PGE typically contains less than about 50%, more typically less than about 10%, and most typically less than about 5% unsaturated cis and trans fatty acids. Preferred fatty acids include _C12 , _C14 , _C16 , _C18 , _C20 and _C22 fatty acids. More preferred fatty acids are C ₁₆ and C ₁₈ fatty acids.

When the emulsifying system comprises PGE, the system typically comprises less than about 30%, more typically less than about 20%, and still more typically less than about 15% total free polyglycerol.

When the emulsification system comprises PGE, in one aspect the system comprises no more than about 40% diester. In another aspect, the system contains no more than about 30% diester. In yet another aspect, the system contains no more than about 20% diester. When the emulsification system comprises PGE, in one aspect the system comprises no more than about 30% triesters and higher esters. In another aspect, the system contains no more than about 20% triesters and higher esters. In yet another aspect, the system contains no more than about 10% triesters and higher esters.

In another preferred aspect, the PGE emulsifier system preferably comprises less than about 5%, more preferably less than about 2%, cyclic diglycerides.

In a preferred aspect, the PGE emulsifier system comprises higher levels of polyglycerol monoester ("PGME"). Any PGME can be used alone as the sole processing aid for dehydration. However, purification of PGME to isolate a PGME is typically not employed for cost reasons. Thus, for most applications, PGME will be present as an emulsifier with various components (eg DGME, triglycerides, tetraglycerides, etc.) and function as a dehydration processing aid. When the emulsifier system contains PGME, in one embodiment at least about 40% of the PGME component is DGME. In particularly preferred emulsifier systems, at least about 75% of the DGME fraction is made from 2-1-S or 2-1-P, or mixtures thereof. Additionally, 2-1-IM can be used in DGME sections. Another particularly preferred system comprises di-triglyceride monoglycerides (preferably at a level of at least about 40%, more preferably at a level of at least about 75%).

Preferably, the PGME used in the present invention is esterified with a fatty acid selected from oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid or IM fatty acids; however, the fatty acid may be a _C12 - _C22 fatty acid as described in the general description for PGE , and can be saturated or unsaturated. In general, it is advisable to minimize the content of unsaturated fatty acid esters in order to avoid any oxidation.

In general, non-limiting examples of PGEs that are especially preferred for use in the improved emulsifier system of the present invention are as follows: 2-1-P, 2-1-S, 3-1-P, 3-1-S, 4- 1-P, 4-1-S, 6-2-P, 6-2-S, 10-3-P, and 10-3-S. In one aspect, 2-1-P, 2-1-S, 3-1-P, 3-1-S or any mixture thereof is included in the emulsifier system of the present invention. While 2-1-O, 3-1-O, and other oleate-containing PGEs are functional under dehydrating conditions, as noted above, unsaturation can lead to oxidation. Thus, in one aspect, the emulsifier system will contain no more than about 25% emulsifiers having unsaturated fatty acid groups (eg, 2-1-O). In another aspect, the emulsifier system comprises not more than about 5% of emulsifiers having unsaturated fatty acid groups.

PGE is generally synthesized in the following manner. In the first step, glycerol is polymerized to form a polyglycerol backbone. Linear and cyclic polyglycerols containing 2 to 10 glycerol units are formed in this reaction. The polyglycerol backbone is then esterified with fatty acids to produce polyglycerol esters forming monoesters, diesters, triesters, tetraesters and higher esters.

For the preferred PGE, the polymerization process should be limited to produce lower polyglycerols, primarily diglycerol and triglycerol. Alternatively, the mixed polyglycerols can be distilled to isolate the desired di-triglycerols. In order to obtain a high content of the desired monoester, the mixed ester PGE is molecularly distilled to enrich it. A developed PGE sample containing predominantly 2,3-1-P was prepared by the Lonza Group (Fairlawn, NJ) according to this general method.

In order to obtain higher levels of the desired diglyceride monoester, commercially available diglycerides are esterified with fatty acids to form diglyceride mono-, di-, tri-, and higher esters. Molecular distillation was used to separate diglycerides and monoglycerides. 2-1-P was obtained commercially from Danisco Cultor (New Century, KS) and was prepared according to this general method.

Another emulsifier which may be used alone or in combination with other components in the emulsifier system of the present invention is diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride (DATEM). As described above in the Definitions section, DATEM is a monoglyceride (esterified fatty acid having 12 to about 22 carbon atoms) esterified with diacetyl tartrate. Fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated. The iodine value (IV) of diacetyl tartrate monoglyceride is from about 1 to about 110. IV is preferably from about 1 to about 20. The function of DATEM is enhanced by adjusting the pH of the dispersion to about 5 to about 7.

Although the emulsifier system of the present invention may contain PGE or DATEM alone or in combination, it is possible to replace a portion of those emulsifiers with one or more other emulsifiers and still provide the desired performance under typical dehydration conditions. A fully functional system. This is important because some emulsifiers, especially DGME, are relatively expensive. Therefore, it is advisable to have an emulsifier system that consists in part of other emulsifiers, provided that the desired functionality of the emulsifier system is maintained under dehydrating conditions.

The ability to replace PGE or DATEM, and the relative amount of replacement, will be determined by several factors, including the function of the emulsifier used. For example, when using 'highly functional' emulsifiers such as PGE consisting primarily of 2-1-P or 3-1-P, higher levels of other emulsifiers can be included while maintaining the desired Function.

In one such system, PGE or DATEM can be mixed with mono- or mono-diglycerides commonly used (at higher levels) for dehydration methods. Monoglycerides are preferably derived from, for example, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, palm olein, safflower oil, corn oil, peanut oil, palm stearin, tallow, pork oils and their mixtures. The use of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated monoglycerides ensures oxidative stability. For these systems, the preferred emulsifier system contains from about 40% to about 99% PGE and from about 60% to about 1% monoglyceride; such mixtures typically contain from about 40% to about 60% PGE and from about 60% to About 40% monoglycerides. When monoglycerides are used, preferably PGME or DATEM is used, more preferably PGME is used, most preferably DGME or di-triglyceride monoglycerides are used.

Alternatively, PGE or DATEM can be mixed with lecithin to provide an emulsifier system useful in the present invention. In this case, the preferred emulsifier system comprises no more than about 75%, most preferably from about 1% to about 25% lecithin, and at least about 25%, most preferably from about 75% to about 99% PGE or DATEM . Mixing PGME with lecithin is preferred.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to an improved emulsifier system useful in the preparation of dehydrated starch components, wherein the emulsifier system exists as a stable dispersion at a temperature of at least about 80°C. As noted above, since much of the processing in the starch dehydration process takes place at high temperature and high humidity, it is believed that an emulsifier system exhibiting the above dispersibility will function well under such typical dehydration conditions . In contrast to emulsifier systems that exist as stable dispersions at temperatures of at least about 80°C under commonly used dehydration conditions of high temperature and humidity, saturated monoglycerides exist primarily as a cubic plus water phase, which is less functional Mutually. In other words, conventional emulsifier systems do not exist as stable dispersions at temperatures of about 80°C or higher.

A preferred embodiment of the emulsifier system present as a stable dispersion at at least about 80°C comprises the above-described PGE having relatively high levels of DGME and/or di-triglycerides. Another preferred embodiment comprises DATEM. Due to their dispersibility and functionality, these systems can be used at very low levels in dehydration methods.

Applicants have identified emulsifier systems that provide the desired dispersibility under dehydrating conditions (ie, exist as stable dispersions at temperatures of at least about 80°C). These emulsifier systems typically contain at least one emulsifier which itself exists as a stable dispersion. Although a given emulsifier system may contain only one emulsifier (or emulsifiers used in combination) having these physical characteristics, one or more such emulsifiers may be combined with a It can be used in combination with other emulsifiers that produce the desired dispersed phase. In general, based on the applicant's findings and the disclosure of this application, one skilled in the art can base their ability to form the desired dispersion under the processing conditions described herein (as determined according to the analytical method described below) Suitable emulsifiers are easily selected.

It should be understood that although certain emulsifier systems containing PGE or DATEM do not exist as stable dispersions at temperatures of 80°C, they are still functional enough to prepare the dehydrated starch component, although higher concentrations may need to be used.

III. Dehydrated Starch Components and Processing of These Components

The present invention also relates to a method of preparing a dehydrated starch component. The method is particularly suitable for preparing dehydrated potato components.

The method of the invention is illustrated by focusing on the preparation of dehydrated potato flakes. This is by way of illustration only, not limitation. In its broadest aspect, the method of the invention is generally applicable to the preparation of dehydrated vegetables (e.g. potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, spinach, onions, carrots, celery, squash, tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, peas); cereals such as corn products (such as corn dough), barley, oats, rye, wheat, rice, amaranth, sago, and cassava), and the like. The invention is also suitable for the preparation of small flakes which can be used in baby food. The method of the invention is also applicable to other starch-containing materials such as gums and pharmaceutical materials.

The improved potato components obtained by using the improved emulsifier system described above are discussed in detail below.

A. Preparation of Dehydrated Potato Components

Any commercially available potatoes such as potato flakes, flanules or granules that are used to prepare conventional potato components can be used to prepare the dehydrated potato components of the present invention. The dehydrated component is preferably obtained from potatoes such as, but not limited to, Norchip, Norgold, Russet Burbank, Lady Russeta, Norkota, Sebago, Bentgie, Aurora, Saturna, Kinnebec, Idaho Russet and Mentor.

A wide variety of potato chips ("potato chips" as used herein includes potato by-products such as flakes, slices, cubes or slabs) can be used in the practice of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the potato chips are preprocessed. As used herein, "pretreatment" refers to treatments that cause potato cells to toughen, such as boiling, peeling and cooling.

1. cooking

Cook the potatoes until just enough to soften them, then mash them. The cooking operation may be any heat or other type of cooking method that softens the potatoes to mash them. For example, potatoes can be cooked by submerging them in water or steam. It will be appreciated that the term "cooking" as used herein includes what is sometimes referred to in the art as "part cooking". It is important that the potatoes are processed enough to be mashed later.

The actual temperature and length of time to cook the potatoes and/or potato slices will depend on the size of the potatoes and/or potato slices being cooked and the cooking method used (ie, steam pressure, boiling temperature). Typically, the potatoes are cooked for a time sufficient to swell the potato cells and starch granules and to separate the potato cells from each other.

For example, potato slices with an average thickness of about 0.375 inches (.95 centimeters) to about 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters) are typically cooked with steam at a temperature of about 200°F (93°C) to about 250°F (121°C) From about 12 to about 30 minutes, more typically from about 14 to about 18 minutes, to achieve the desired degree of softening. Shoestring potato slices are typically cooked with steam at a temperature of about 200°F (93°C) to about 250°F (121°C) for about 7 to about 18 minutes, more typically about 9 to about 12 minutes, to obtain the desired degree of softening.

An optional cooking method is described in US Patent No. 6,066,353, issued May 23, 2000 to Villagran et al. Another alternative is described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/907,059 filed July 17, 2001 by Villagran et al., which discloses a simplified cooking method that gives The resulting dehydrated potato fraction provides an enhanced flavor profile. The disclosures of each of these references are incorporated herein by reference.

2. Mashed Potato Formation

Crush cooked potatoes to make mashed potatoes. Comminution of the cooked potatoes may be accomplished by any suitable means including, but not limited to, riced, mashed, shredded, or combinations thereof. One suitable method of forming mashed potatoes is described in US Patent No. 6,066,353. Essentially, the mash forming step is performed to reduce the size of the potato pieces so that the mash can be properly handled in the subsequent dehydration step.

Additional ingredients may also be added to the mashed potatoes to improve the storage stability of the resulting dehydrated potato fraction. Various stabilizers and preservatives are often employed to improve the stability and structure of the resulting potato fraction. For example, from about 150 to about 200 parts per million sulfites may be added to the dry product. It is often added to mashed potatoes as anhydrous sodium sulfite and sodium bisulfite and protects the resulting composition from darkening during processing and subsequent storage. Antioxidants such as BHA (2 and 3-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole) and BHT (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene) may be present in amounts up to a total of about 10 parts per million Added to dry products to prevent oxidative deterioration. Citric acid may be added in an amount sufficient to provide about 90 parts per million in the dry product to prevent discoloration due to the presence of ferrous ions. Ascorbic acid may also be added to maintain the initial vitamin content.

Starch may optionally be added to mashed potatoes to impart improved characteristics to the mashed potatoes themselves and/or products made therefrom. At the time of addition, preferably from about 0.5% to about 50%, more preferably from about 2% to about 30%, still more preferably from about 4% to about 15%, of the starch (based on the dehydrated starch component) is mixed with the wet mashed potatoes , and are evenly distributed throughout.

The benefits of adding starch to mashed potatoes include: (1) improved water distribution in the mashed potatoes, (2) reduced adhesion of the mashed potatoes to the drum during the drying step, (3) increased surface porosity and solids of the mashed potatoes content to increase productivity and thus reduce drying dwell time to obtain the desired moisture content for dehydrated potato products, (4) improve the cohesiveness of freshly mashed potatoes, and (5) increase the soluble amylopectin content due to Reduces the resulting crispiness of the artificial flakes.

3. Dry

After forming the mashed potatoes, the mashed potatoes are at least partially dried to form a dehydrated potato component having a final moisture content of not more than about 30%. The final moisture content was determined according to the method set forth in the 'Analytical Methods' section of Villagran et al., Serial No. 09/907,059, filed July 17, 2001. These dehydrated potato components may be in any form including, but not limited to, flakes, flanules, granules, agglomerates, flakes, shreds, flakes, flour or particles. (Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that mashed potatoes can be used to prepare other products, including mashed potatoes). For stability reasons, the dehydrated potato component preferably has a final moisture content of no more than about 15%. For dehydrated potato components (eg, flakes, granules, and flanules) to be processed into starchy snacks, the component generally has a final moisture content of about 5 to about 10%.

Any suitable method for preparing such dehydrated potato products from mashed potatoes may be used, such as known in the art, and any suitable equipment may be used. For example, mashed potatoes may be dried to produce flakes according to known methods, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 6,066,353 to Villagran et al., issued May 23, 2000, and U.S. Pat. US Patent No. 2,759,832 to Cording et al., issued February 19, and US Patent No. 2,780,552 to Willard et al., issued February 5, 1957, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Flanules can be prepared by drying mashed potatoes according to the method described in US Patent Application Serial No. 09/175,138, filed October 19, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference. Granules can be prepared by processing mashed potatoes according to the methods described in U.S. Patent No. 3,917,866 to Purves et al., issued Nov. 4, 1975, or other known methods, e.g., Dec. 6, 1949 Published US Patent No. 2,490,431 to Greene et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Suitable dryers may be selected from those well known drying devices including, but not limited to, fluid bed dryers, scraped wall heat exchangers, drum dryers, freeze dryers, airlift dryers, and other similar devices.

Preferred drying methods include those that reduce the total heat input. For example, freeze drying, drum drying, resonance or pulsed flow drying, infrared drying, or combinations thereof are preferred when producing small flakes; airlift drying, fluidized bed drying, or combinations thereof are preferred when producing granules .

For drying the mashed potatoes to form the dehydrated potato component, drum drying using drum dryers such as those commonly used in the potato product industry is preferred. The preferred method uses a single tumble dryer in which the wet mashed potatoes are mixed at a thickness of about 0.005 inches (.013 cm) to about 0.1 inches (0.25 cm), preferably about 0.005 inches (. 0.12 cm), more preferably about 0.01 inch (0.025 cm) pieces are spread on the drum. Typically, when a drum dryer is used, the mashed potatoes are fed onto the upper surface of the drum by conveying means. A small diameter unheated roller gradually spreads fresh mash onto the portion already on the roller, thereby building up a sheet or layer of predetermined thickness. The peripheral speed of the small roll is the same as that of the drum. After the layer of mashed potatoes has been rotated along a portion of the circumference of the drum, the scraper removes the dried sheet by peeling it off the drum. Typically, the tumble dryer itself is heated to about 250°F (121°C) to about 375°F by pressurizing the steam contained within the drum to about 70 psig to about 140 psig °F (191°C), preferably from about 310°F (154°C) to about 350°F (177°C), more preferably from about 320°F (160°C) to about 333°F (167°C). For best results, the rotational speed of the drum and its internal temperature are properly controlled to obtain a final product with a moisture content of from about 5% to about 14%, preferably from about 5% to about 12%. Typically, rotational speeds of about 9 seconds/rev to about 25 seconds/rev, preferably about 11 seconds/rev to about 20 seconds/rev are sufficient.

Other dehydrated potato components that can be improved by using the emulsification system of the present invention include potato granules and flanules. Regular potato granules and flanules generally contain more flavor and a greater amount of unbroken cells than potato flakes. The main difference between granules and flanules is that granules contain a lower content of free amylose.

Potato granules are typically processed by the "back-add" method. In this method, potatoes are washed, peeled, sliced and precooked. After precooking, the slices are cooled in water. The precooked and cooled (ie processed) slices of potatoes are cooked with steam until the structure weakens and the potato slices soften. Mash the fully cooked potato chips. The mashed potatoes are mixed with a fixed proportion of dry granules (back-addition method) to reduce the moisture content. Further drying is carried out by using fluidized bed and airlift dryers to achieve the desired final moisture content. The drying step in pellet processing is gentler than in flake preparation and minimizes potato cell breakdown. The lower levels of amylose released in this process crystallize and become insoluble in water. See "Potato Processing", ^4th Ed., Talburt, W. and Smith, O., AVI-Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, Inc. (New York, NY) (1987).

In the flanules method, the main difference is the elimination of the precooking and cooling steps, as well as the simplification of mash handling. For a detailed discussion of product and processing differences between pellets and flanules, see US Patent No. 6,287,622 to Villagran et al., issued September 11, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.

4. Add emulsifier system

The improved emulsifier system of the present invention can be added during or between the cooking, mashing and drying steps or any combination thereof. To aid processing, it is most preferred that the emulsifier system is combined with the cooked potatoes just before the mashing step or during the mashing step.

As noted above, the amount of emulsifier required depends on the function of its components. When using a preferred emulsifier, the emulsifier system is added such that the final potato component contains no more than about 0.2% emulsifier system (when normalized to 0% moisture content). Typically from about 0.005% to about 0.2% of the emulsifier system is added. From about 0.005% to about 0.1% is more typically added during the dehydration operation.

5. Optional crushing

Once the wet mashed potatoes have been flaked and dried, the resulting dried potato flakes can be broken into smaller pieces as desired. These smaller pieces can be of any desired size. Any method of comminuting potato chips that minimizes starch and potato cell damage may be used, such as crushing, grating, cracking, cutting or pulverizing. For example, potato chips can be crushed with Urschel Comitrol ^™ manufactured by Urschel Laboratories, Inc. (Valparaiso, Indiana) to break up the potato chips. Alternatively, potato chips can be left whole. As used herein, both whole slices and smaller pieces are included in the term "potato chips".

B. Characteristics of Potato Components

The emulsifier component of the potato component obtained by the above method is unique. In particular, the potato component comprises an emulsifier selected from (i) PGE, (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof. The potato components of the present invention generally comprise from about 0.005% to about 0.2% of the emulsifier system described above (again, normalized to 0% moisture content).

Beyond the emulsifier content of potato components, components made using the emulsifier system of the present invention will generally have physical and chemical characteristics similar to existing potato components. These features are well known in the literature, as are the processing parameters to control these features. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 6,066,353 to Villagran et al., published May 23, 2000, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/907,059 to Villagran et al., published July 17, 2001, both at discussed in the text.

As a result of processing using the improved emulsifier system described above, the potato component provides benefits when processed into finished products, such as starchy snack chips, compared to existing potato components. An important difference appears to be due to the presence of lower levels of emulsifiers in the potato fraction. Conventional potato components processed with monoglycerides lead to severe complexing of amylose with this emulsifier. Due to the lower degree of complexation between amylose and emulsifiers, the compositions of the present invention will contain higher levels of free amylose and may contain lower levels of emulsifiers. The method for determining free amylose content is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,066,353 to Villagran et al., issued May 23, 2000 (see the 'Analytical Methods' section therein), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. refer to.

IV. Artificial starch-containing products

While the disclosure of final products derived from the dehydrated starch components described above primarily relates to the formation of finished snack pieces, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the dehydrated components may be used to prepare any suitable food product. For example, dehydrated potato products can be rehydrated and used to prepare food products such as mashed potatoes, potato patties, potato pancakes, potato soup, and other potato snacks, such as extruded French fries and chips. For mashed potatoes, sliced potatoes can be coarsely ground to about 0.1 to 1 cm2. Optionally, seasonings such as salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, monosodium glutamate, butter dressing or cheese powder can be added to the grated potato chips prior to packaging. Furthermore, different stabilizers such as BHT and citric acid can be added. Consumers prepare mashed potatoes by adding potato chips to hot water containing salt, margarine, and milk. Mix the product and consume within a few minutes.

Alternatively, dehydrated starch components may be used to prepare extruded French fries, such as those described in the following U.S. patent documents: U.S. Patent Nos. 3,085,020 to Backinger et al., issued April 9, 1963, and U.S. Patent Nos. US Patent No. 3,987,210 to Cremer, issued on the 18th, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Dehydrated potato products can also be used in breads, thickened broths, sauces or any other suitable food.

As noted above, one particularly preferred application of the dehydrated potato component is in the preparation of finished snack chips made from dough. Examples of such finished snack chips include those described in the following U.S. patent documents: U.S. Patent No. 3,998,975 to Liepa, issued December 21, 1976; U.S. Patent No. 5,464,642 to Villagran et al. No. 5,464,643 to Lodge, published November 7, 1995, PCT application PCT/US95/07610 to Dawes et al., published January 25, 1996 as publication WO 96/01572, and July 1999 US Patent No. 5,928,700 to Zimmerman et al., issued May 27, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The formation of the dough and the starch-containing products made from the dough are described below.

A. Dough Composition

The doughs of the present invention comprise from about 35% to about 85%, preferably from about 50% to about 70%, starch-based flour. The starch-based flour comprises the dehydrated starch component of the present invention. In a preferred aspect, the starch-based flour comprises from about 25% to 100%, more preferably from about 50% to about 75%, of the dehydrated potato chips of the present invention, with the remainder (from about 0% to about 75%) being other starch-based Flour, including but not limited to potato flour, potato flanules, potato granules, corn dough flour, corn flour, corn meal, buckwheat flour, rice flour, oat flour, soybean flour, amaranth flour, barley flour, Modified and unmodified corn and wheat starches or their mixtures. These other components may be prepared according to the invention, or may be components previously known in the art.

The dough of the present invention also preferably comprises from about 15% to about 50%, preferably from about 22% to about 40%, more preferably from about 24% to about 35%, of added water. The amount of water added includes any water used to dissolve or disperse the components and includes moisture present in corn syrup and the like. For example, if a component such as maltodextrin or corn syrup solids is added as a solution or syrup, the water in the syrup or solution is included in "water added".

The dough may optionally contain starches such as native starches, modified starches or resistant starches. Starch may be added from about 0.1% to about 70%, more preferably from about 5% to about 60%, most preferably from about 15% to about 40%. Starches may be derived from tubers, pods, or grains and may include, but are not limited to, corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, waxy corn starch, oat starch, tapioca starch, waxy barley starch, waxy rice starch, sticky rice starch , sweet rice starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, amaranth starch, sago starch, or mixtures thereof. When calculating the starch content according to the present invention, other components such as potato flakes, potato flanules, potato granules and starch inherent in flour are not included. (The starch content is the starch content added, over, and higher than inherent in the other dough components.)

The modified starches are selected from the group consisting of pregelatinized starches, cross-linked starches, acid-modified starches, and optionally mixtures thereof to improve the texture of the finished snack chip (i.e. increase the crunchiness of the snack chip), Although the addition of modified starch is not necessary and is not preferred for use in preparing the finished snack chips of the present invention. Typically from about 0.1% to about 20%, more preferably from about 1% to about 10%, of the modified starch can be added. Preferred modified starches, if used, are available from National Starch and Chemical Corporation, Bridgewater, NJ, and under the tradenames N-Lite ^™ (pregelatinized crosslinked starch), ^{Ultrasperse®} -A (pregelatinized waxy corn), and N-Creamer ^™ 46 (waxy corn substituted) are commercially available. When calculating the modified starch content according to the present invention, other components such as potato flakes, potato flanules, potato granules and flour (for example partially precooked corn grits such as those available from Bungee Lauhoff Corn Milling, St. Modified starches (eg gelatinized starches) inherent in Corn PCPF400( ^TM ) from Louis, MO are not included. (The starch content is the starch content added, over, and higher than inherent in the other dough components.)

Hydrolyzed starch is a preferred modified starch that may optionally be included in the dough of the present invention. When included, hydrolyzed starch is typically added to the dough at a level of from about 1% to about 15%, preferably from about 3% to about 12%. The amount of hydrolyzed starch is added in addition to the amount of any other starch that has been added. Hydrolyzed starches suitable for inclusion in the dough include maltodextrins and corn syrup solids. Hydrolyzed starches included in the dough typically have a dextrose equivalent (DE) value of from about 5 to about 30, preferably from about 10 to about 20. Maltrin ^™ M050, M100, M150, M180, M200 and M250 (from Grain Processing Corporation, Iowa) are preferred maltodextrins. The DE value is a measure of the reduction of the hydrolyzed starch to glucose and is expressed as a percentage (on a dry basis). The higher the DE value, the higher the glucose equivalent of hydrolyzed starch.

Gums are also optionally used in the doughs of the present invention. Gums useful in the present invention include those components commonly referred to as gums (eg cellulose derivatives, pectic substances) as well as vegetable gums. Examples of suitable gums include, but are not limited to, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum gelatin, carrageenan, gum arabic, tragacanth, and pectic acids with varying degrees of depolymerization and methylation. Especially preferred gums are cellulose derivatives selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and mixtures thereof. Gums may be included in the dough at levels up to about 10%, preferably from about 0.2% to about 8%, more preferably from about 2% to about 4%.

As noted above, the emulsifier system used to prepare the dehydrated potato components preferably provides alpha stable finished products prepared from those dehydrated components. This feature would provide a significant improvement over currently used emulsifiers for processing dehydrated starch products. In this aspect of the invention, an emulsifier system comprising PGE, DATEM and lecithin is especially preferred.

Although the exact mechanism of action is not well understood, it is believed that the emulsifier system used to process the dehydrated components interacts with other structurants (such as food softeners) during subsequent dough preparation, thereby increasing the final potency of the product . In this aspect of the invention, an emulsifier system comprising PGE, DATEM and lecithin is especially preferred. If used to prepare dough, the system is suitable for compositions comprising pregelatinized starch and gluten.

Although the dehydrated potato component contains an emulsifier system for the dehydration process, it is desirable to add a dough emulsifier during dough preparation to aid its processability. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are a variety of known emulsifiers that can be used in the dough preparation process. See, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 6,066,353 to Villagran et al., published May 23, 2000, and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/907,059 to Villagran et al., filed July 17, 2001, both supra have been mentioned.

Typically, such dough emulsifiers are added to the dough in amounts of from about 0.01% to about 6%, preferably from about 0.1% to about 5%, and more preferably from about 1% to about 4%, wherein the percentages are based on dough calculated. The dough emulsifier is preferably added to the composition prior to sheeting the dough. Dough emulsifiers can be dissolved in oils or polyol fatty acid polyesters such as Olean ^(R) from the Procter and Gamble Company. Suitable dough emulsifiers include lecithin, mono-diglycerides, DATEM, propylene glycol mono- and diesters, and PGE (eg PGME). Particularly preferred monoglycerides are sold under the tradename Dimodan ^(R) by Danisco Cultor, New Century, KS, and DMG 130 by Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM), Decatur, IL. An especially preferred mono-diglyceride is Aldo ^(R) MO from the Lonza Group, Fairlawn, NJ.

For sheeted products, dough emulsifiers help control (i) the stickiness of the dough sheet, (ii) the expansion of the finished product, (iii) the texture and eating quality of the finished product, and (iv) the oil absorption of the finished product.

For extruded products, dough emulsifiers help to (i) control the amount of oil absorbed by the semi-finished product during frying, (ii) control the swelling of the semi-finished product during frying, (iii) reduce the breakdown of starch during extrusion, and (iv) ) to lubricate the extruder. It has been found in the practice of the present invention that it is especially advantageous to add an emulsifier to the dry ingredient mixture to prevent the starch from hydrating too rapidly. The starch is thus less susceptible to mechanical shear in the extrusion barrel.

When PGE is used in the dough preparation step, the PGE may optionally be a mixture of diglyceride monoglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, triglyceride monoglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, di-triglyceride monoglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids , diglycerides of diglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, diglycerides of triglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, mixtures of di-triglycerides of diglycerides derived from unsaturated fatty acids, and mixtures thereof. PGE can optionally be distilled.

When lecithin is used, the lecithin may be selected from deoiled lecithin, liquid lecithin, lysolecithin, chemically modified lecithin, egg lecithin, egg yolk powder and lecithin enriched in phosphatidylcholine, and mixture.

When triglyceride oil is used, it may be derived from sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, canola, tallow or peanut oil, or mixtures of the foregoing.

While not limiting in any way, specific dough emulsifiers or combinations of dough emulsifiers for use in the dough preparation steps are described below: (i) mono-diglycerides; (ii) mono-diglyceride and triglyceride oils (iii) mono-diglycerides, triglyceride oils and lecithin; (iv) mono-diglycerides, triglyceride oils and PGE; (v) mono-diglycerides, triglyceride oils, PGE and (vi) PGE; (vii) PGE and triglyceride oil; (viii) PGE, triglyceride oil and lecithin, (ix) DATEM; (x) DATEM and triglyceride oil; (xi) DATEM and PGE, and (xii) lecithin and triglyceride oils. Mono-diglycerides may be fully or partially substituted by monoglycerides.

The applicants have found that by using dehydrated potato components (e.g. flakes, flanules and/or granules) made with the emulsifier system described herein (e.g. comprising PGE, DATEM or combinations thereof) Dough preparation enables the use of emulsifiers that were not previously readily available for dough preparation. In particular, applicants have discovered that, due to the use of the potato component of the present invention, dough emulsifiers which are liquid at room temperature can be used. Benefits associated with the use of such liquid dough emulsifiers include: (i) the resulting finished product has better eating quality in terms of flavor development and faster melting in the mouth; require less flavoring to achieve the same flavor development than products made with partially hydrogenated emulsifiers; and (iii) a lighter waxy mouthfeel, whereas the use of current hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated emulsifiers would result in a heavier Waxy taste.

In one embodiment, the dough composition of the present invention comprises:

(a) from about 50% to about 70% starch-based material, wherein the starch-based material comprises up to 75% potato flanules and at least 25% other starch-based material;

(b) at least about 3% hydrolyzed starch having a DE of about 5 to about 30; and

(c) From about 20% to about 47% added water.

From about 0.5% to about 6% of an emulsifier can optionally be added to the dough composition as a processing aid.

B. Prepare the Dough

The doughs of the present invention may be prepared by any suitable method for forming sheetable doughs. Typically, loose dry dough is prepared by thoroughly mixing the ingredients using a conventional mixer. Preferably, a premix of wet ingredients and a premix of dry ingredients are prepared; the wet premix and dry premix are then mixed together to form a dough. Hobart ^(R) mixers are preferred for batch operations and Turbulizer ^(R) mixers are preferred for continuous mixing operations. Alternatively, an extruder can be used to mix the dough and form sheets or shaped pieces.

The sheet strength of the dough is related to the cohesiveness of the dough and the ability of the dough to resist forming holes and/or tearing during subsequent processing steps. The stronger the sheet, the more cohesive and elastic the dough.

The sheet strength of the dough of the present invention increases with increasing energy input during the dough preparation steps. Factors that can affect energy input include, but are not limited to, mixing conditions, dough sheet formation, and measurable amounts of free amylose.

C. into pieces

After making the dough, the dough is then formed into relatively flat sheets. Any method suitable for forming such sheets from a starch-based dough may be used. For example, the sheet can be rolled between two counter-rotating cylindrical rolls to obtain a uniform, thinner dough sheet. Any conventional sheeting, milling and metering equipment may be used. The grinding rolls should preferably be heated to a temperature of about 90°F (32°C) to about 135°F (57°C). In a preferred embodiment, the mill rolls are maintained at two different temperatures, with the front roll being cooler than the rear roll. Dough can also be formed into sheets by extrusion.

The dough of the present invention is generally formed to a thickness of about 0.015 inches to about 0.10 inches (about 0.038 cm to about 0.25 cm), and preferably about 0.05 inches to about 0.10 inches (about 0.013 cm to about 0.025 cm), most preferably about 0.065 cm. inches to about 0.080 inches (1.65 cm to 2.03 mm). For corrugated (wavy) synthetic sheets, the preferred thickness is about 0.075 inches (1.9 mm).

The dough pieces are then formed into snack pieces of a predetermined size and shape. Snack pieces can be formed using any suitable punching or cutting equipment. The snack chips can be formed into a variety of different shapes. For example, the snack pieces can be in the shape of ovals, squares, circles, bows, stars, or pinwheels. Dough sheets can be scored to produce corrugated sheets as described by Dawes et al. in PCT Application PCT/US95/07610, published as WO 96/01572 Publication No. on January 25, 1996, which The disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.

D. Fried

After forming the snack chips, they are cooked until crisp to form the finished snack chips. The snack pieces may be fried in an oil composition comprising digestible oil, non-digestible fat, or a mixture thereof. For best results, clean frying oil should be used. The free fatty acid content of the oil should preferably be kept below about 1%, more preferably below about 0.3%, to reduce the rate of oxidation of the oil.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the frying oil has less than about 25% saturated fat, preferably less than about 20%. Such oils improve the smoothness of the final finished snack chip, allowing the final finished snack chip to have enhanced flavor development. The flavor profile of these oils also enhances the flavor profile of topical flavored products due to the lower melting point of the oils. Examples of such oils include sunflower seed oil which contains moderate to high levels of oleic acid.

In another embodiment of the invention, the snack chips are fried in a mixture of non-digestible fat and digestible oil. Preferably, the mixture comprises from about 20% to about 90% nondigestible fat and from about 10% to about 80% digestible oil, more preferably from about 50% to about 90% nondigestible fat and from about 10% to about 50% digestible Still more preferably from about 70% to about 85% nondigestible fat and from about 15% to about 30% digestible oil.

Other ingredients known in the art, including antioxidants such as TBHQ, tocopherol, ascorbic acid, chelating agents such as citric acid, and antifoaming agents such as dimethyl polysiloxane, may also be added to the digestible fats and oils.

Preferably from about 275°F (135°C) to about 420°F (215°C), preferably from about 300°F (149°C) to about 410°F (210°C), more preferably from about 350°F (177°C) to The snack chips are fried at a temperature of about 400°F (204°C) for a sufficient time to form a moisture content of about 6% or less, preferably about 0.5% to about 4%, more preferably about 1% to about 2% %The product. The exact frying time is controlled by the temperature of the frying oil and the initial moisture content of the dough, which can be readily determined by one skilled in the art.

Preferably, the snack pieces are fried using a continuous frying method and the snack pieces are restrained during frying. The constrained frying method and apparatus are described in US Patent No. 3,626,466 to Liepa, issued December 7, 1971, which is incorporated herein by reference. The shaped, constrained snack pieces are passed through a frying medium until they are fried to a crispy state and have a final moisture content of from about 0.5% to about 4%, preferably from about 1% to about 2%.

Any other method of frying, such as continuous frying or batch frying the snack chips in a non-constrained manner is also acceptable. For example, the snack chips may be dipped in frying oil on a moving belt or basket.

The finished snack chips made by this method generally have a total fat (ie, combined nondigestible and digestible fat) of from about 20% to about 45%, preferably from about 25% to about 40%. If a higher fat content is desired to further improve the flavor or smoothness of the finished snack chip, it may be used when the finished snack chip emerges from the fryer, or when the finished snack chip is removed from the mold used for restraint frying At the same time, oil, such as triglyceride oil, is sprayed onto the finished snack pieces or coated by any other suitable means. Preferably, the IV of the triglyceride oil applied is greater than about 75, and most preferably greater than about 90. Additional oil can be used to increase the total fat content of the finished snack chip up to 45% total fat. Thus, this additional step can be used to produce finished snack chips with varying fat content. In a preferred embodiment, at least 10%, preferably at least about 20%, of the total fat in the finished snack chip product is localized surface fat.

After frying, the characteristic flavor oil or highly unsaturated oil can be sprayed, rolled or spread on the finished snack chips. Preferably, triglyceride oils and nondigestible fats are used as carriers to disperse the flavor and topically add to the finished snack chip. They include, but are not limited to, butter flavored oils, natural or artificial flavored oils, vegetable oils, and oils with added potato, garlic, or onion odors. This enables the introduction of many different flavors without the flavor reacting to darken during frying. This method can be used to introduce oils that would normally polymerize or oxidize during the heating required to fry the snack chips.

V. Analytical method

1. Supercritical Fluid Chromatography (SFC) Characterization Determination

The ester composition of PGE samples can be analyzed by the aforementioned SFC with the following modifications (see T.L. Chester and D.P. Innis, Journal of High Resolution Chromatography and Chromatography Communications, 9 (1986) 178-181). Separation was performed on a Dionex Superbond sb-methyl-100 capillary column, 10-m x 50-mm, with 0.25-mm membrane. The instrument conditions are as follows: oven temperature, 150 °C; pressure program, initial pressure 100 bar, then ramp up to 110 bar at 1 bar/min, 400 bar at 5 bar/min, and -50 bar/min speed down to the initial condition. The eluting components were determined from mass spectrometry data and quantified using a single response factor and area normalization.

2. Characteristic determination by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

The ester components of PGE samples can also be analyzed by programmed reversed-phase HPLC using evaporative light scattering detection. The samples were all diluted in acetone to which a few drops of water were added to help dissolve free polyglycerol. 100 micrograms of sample were injected onto a Beckman Ultrasphere ODS column (5 mm, 4.6 mm x 250 mm) connected to another identical column. The separation was carried out at a temperature of 40 °C with a flow rate of 1 ml/min using the following solvent program:

Time (minutes) % of water % of acetone % of acetonitrile

bibi

0 30 70 0

22 20 80 0

26 20 80 0

41 0 80 20

81 0 50 50

82 30 70 0

Components were determined by mass spectrometry and quantified using relative response factors.

3. Gas Chromatography (GC) Characterization Determination

The ester composition of PGE samples can also be analyzed by GC analysis. Typically, GC characteristics are better suited for the analysis of unesterified polyglycerols and low molecular weight polyglycerol esters. Samples were prepared as trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives and analyzed by high temperature capillary GC configured for split injection and flame ionization detection. For each sample, one drop of the molten sample was added to a 2-mL vial, to which was added 0.5 mL each of pyridine and 5:1 TMSI:BSTFA (N-trimethylsilylimidazole:(N,O)-bistris Methylsilyltrifluoroacetamide). The vial was capped, shaken, and heated at a temperature of 90 to 100°C for 15 minutes. Separations were performed on Chrompak CP-Sil 5CB fused silica columns (2-m x 0.25 mm, 0.12-mm membrane). The chromatographic conditions were as follows: injection volume, 1 ml; carrier and detector make-up gas, helium; split ratio 70:1; carrier gas linear velocity, 45 cm/s with constant flow programming; injector temperature, 340 °C; detector temperature 350°C; the oven temperature was 110°C (2 minutes), and then increased to 350°C (8 minutes) at a rate of 25°C/min. Individual components were identified by mass spectrometry. The eluting components were identified from the mass spectral data and quantified by area normalization followed by area correction for the relative difference in response of the components.

4. Characteristic determination of aqueous dispersion

Material :

Polarized light microscope (Nikon Microphot or equivalent) with 10X to 40X objective

Hot stage and controller (Mettler FP-80 Central Processor, FP-82Hot Stage or equivalent)

High resolution camera (MTI CCD 72 or equivalent)

Image acquisition software (Optimas v6.2 or equivalent)

Microscope slides and coverslips

Emulsifier systems for characterization

500ml beaker

Mixing device (e.g. propeller stirrer or magnetic stir bar)

pipette

heating plate

^* Note: Camera and software are optional recording equipment.

Operation :

A 10% emulsifier dispersion was prepared by adding 20 grams of the emulsifier system to 180 grams of distilled water in a 500 ml beaker. Heat to a temperature of about 60°C. Mix until a milky dispersion forms. A heating plate was used to maintain the dispersion at a temperature of about 45°C.

A drop of the dispersion was placed on a pre-warmed glass slide (warmed to a temperature of about 45°C on a hot plate) and covered with a coverslip.

Slides with coverslips were placed on a hot stage (maintained at a temperature of 45°C). Place the hot stage on top of the microscope stage. The heat stage was programmed to heat from 45°C to a temperature of 80°C at a controlled rate, eg, 5°C/minute, and then held at 80°C for 5 minutes. Insert the polarizing filter into the microscope. Adjust light intensity and photographic gain control for optimal resolution. Run the program on the hottable controller.

At the end of the procedure, the morphology of the dispersion was observed. To determine whether an emulsifier system exists as a stable dispersion, the characteristics of the dispersed phase are sought. The dispersed phase is characterized by birefringent bands of lamellar liquid crystals and/or aggregates with an inner lamellar structure characterized by birefringent extinction crossings or mosaic structures. (See Figures 1a, 1b and 2a). The cube plus water and the fluid isotropic phase (both functionally weak phases) do not exhibit birefringence under polarized light. (See Figure 2b) If the birefringence of the dispersion aggregates has been eliminated, the emulsifier system does not exist as a stable dispersion at a temperature of 80°C. The morphology of liquid crystal phases has been described in the literature. See F. B. Rosevear, J. Soc. Cosmetic Chemists, 19, 581-594 (Aug. 19, 1968) and N. Krog, Food Emulsions, ed. Stig E. Friberg and Kre Larsson, 1997, Marcel Dekker, New York .

VI. Embodiment

The following examples illustrate the improved emulsifier systems, dehydrated components and various food products of the present invention. These examples are given only to illustrate the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention, since various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

A. Dehydration Example

Example 1

A modified emulsifier system suitable for the preparation of potato chips (and other components) consisting of a PGE sample had the following components:

Ester composition

85% Diglyceride Monoglycerides

                                  

                                                                                                        &#;

                                                                                       

fatty acid composition

97% Palmitic Acid

2% Stearic Acid

                              Other fatty acids

Example 2

A modified emulsifier system suitable for the preparation of potato chips (or other dehydrated components) consisting of a PGE sample has the following components:

Ester composition

                                   

4% Triglycerides

8% Free polyol

                                                                                                   

Triester

fatty acid composition

98% Palmitic Acid

2% Stearic Acid

Example 3

An improved emulsifier system suitable for use in the preparation of potato chips (and other dehydrated components), consisting of a monoglyceride and a PGE sample having the following composition:

70% PGE composition of Example 1

30% Monoglycerides

Composition of monoglycerides

92% Monoglycerides

                                                       

                                                             

fatty acid composition

49% Palmitic Acid

                                    48 % 

                                                                                   

                                                                      

Example 4

An improved emulsifier system suitable for use in the preparation of potato chips (or other dehydrated components) consisted of Panodan ^(TM) 205, a commercially available DATEM produced by Danisco Cultor (New Century, KS). It has the following fatty acid composition:

11% Palmitic Acid

87% Stearic Acid

                                                         

                                                              Other Fatty Acids

Examples 5 to 7

A mixture of 66% Russet Burbank, 34% Norkota potatoes, having an overall solids content of about 20% and reducing sugars of about 1.6%, was washed in room temperature water to remove dirt and any foreign matter. The potatoes were then steam peeled and cut into 0.625 inch (1.59 cm) thick slices. The slices were then cooked for 30 minutes at a metered steam pressure of 38 to 40 psi. The cooked potato slices are then shredded and mashed as they are forced through the forming board. The emulsifiers were added to the mashed potatoes in the form of a 5% aqueous dispersion as indicated in the table below. The mash was mixed with the dispersion as it was fed through the augur and distributed into two single drum dryers. Spread the mashed potatoes onto the drying drum with 4 applicator rolls in a 0.005 inch to 0.008 inch (0.013 cm to 0.020 cm) flake layer. The drying drum is rotated at about 14 to 16 seconds/rev. This results in dehydrated potato chips having a moisture content of 7% to 8%, which are removed from the drum by scraping. The final potato chip characteristics are also listed in the table below. feature Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 added emulsifier PGE of Example 1 PGE of Example 2 DATEM ^* of Example 4 Emulsifier concentration (percentage in final dehydrated tablet) 0.1 0.1 0.1 Productivity (lbs/hour) 1600-1800 1900 1700-1900 Water Absorption Index (WAI) ^** 9.9 8.9 8.8 Peak viscosity (cps) 220 188 171 Final Viscosity(cps) 107 124 92 Percentage of Free Amylose ^** 26.8 23.1 24.1

^* In order to prepare the most functional aqueous dispersion of DATEM, the pH of the dispersion was increased to pH 5-7 with sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide can be added directly to the water used to prepare the dispersion or as a solution.

^** WAI and percent free amylose were determined according to the method described in the 'Analytical Methods' section of US Patent No. 6,066,353 to Villagran et al.

Examples 8-14

The dehydrated potato fraction was prepared in the manner described in Examples 5 to 7 using the following emulsifier system: Example serial number 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 PGE-1 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 80% PGE-2 50% 50% 90% 50% 0% 95% 0% DATEM ^* 0% 50% 0% 0% 90% 0% 15% Monoglycerides 50% 0% 0% 40% 0% 0% 0% Lecithin 0% 0% 10% 10% 10% 5% 5%

^* : The pH of DATEM dispersions can be adjusted for optimum performance.

PGE-1: PGE described in Example 1.

PGE-2: PGE described in Example 2.

DATEM: As described in Example 7.

Monoglycerides: ^Dimodan® PVP as described in Example 3.

Lecithin: UltraLec ^(R) F is deoiled, ultrafiltered soy lecithin available from ADM, Decatur, IL.

Example 15

Mashed potatoes made with:

45 grams of potato chips prepared according to Example 5

                                 

12 g margarine (60% fat)

1 gram salt

77g milk (full fat)

Heat water, margarine and salt to boil. Then add milk and potato chips and mix this mixture well. The final mashed potatoes were not much different from the currently commercially available mashed potato products.

B. Examples of Dough and Finished Products

Example A

The potato chips prepared in Example 6 were used to prepare dough compositions. The dough composition contained 35% water, 3% dough emulsifier ^* , and 62% a mixture of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture The potato chip of embodiment 6 60 Potato flanules (extra large potato granules from Basic American Foods, Plover, WI) 13 Corn meal (PCPF400 ^™ Lauhoff Corn Milling Co., St.Louis, MO) 12 Wheat starch (Aytex P ^TM , ADM, Decatur, IL) 8 Maltodextrin (DE 18 from Grain Processing, IA) 7

^* The dough emulsifier used to prepare the dough was Aldo ^(R) MO, available from Lonza Group, Fairlawn, NJ. ^Aldo® MO is a mixture of monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides with the following composition:

Fatty Acid Composition Esters Composition

64% Oleic Acid 59% Monoglycerides

19% Linoleic Acid 35% Diglycerides

7% Linolenic Acid 4% Triglycerides

4% Palmitic Acid 2% Other Components

2% stearic acid

4% other fatty acids

The potato chips, potato flanules, corn meal, wheat starch and maltodextrin were mixed together in a mixer. (Alternatively, maltodextrin can be dissolved in water and added to the dough.) The emulsifier is heated to create a homogeneous liquid. Using a dough mixer, an emulsifier is added to this dry mix, followed by water (or water and maltodextrin) to form a loose dry dough. The dough is sheeted by feeding it continuously through a pair of sheeting rolls, forming an elastic continuous sheet free of pinholes. The thickness of the sheet was controlled to be about 0.02 inches (0.051 cm). The dough pieces were then cut into oval pieces and fried in a constraint fryer at a temperature of 375°F (191°C) for about 6 seconds to produce finished products. The frying oil is NuSun ^™ oil. NuSun ^™ oil is a medium oil sunflower seed oil commercially available from ADM (Decatur, IL).

Example B

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, wherein the dough emulsifier was bis-triglyceride monoglyceride. This dough PGE, called 2,3-1-O, is a sample developed by the Lonza Group (Fairlawn, NJ). The PGE (2,3-1-O) has the following composition:

Fatty Acid Composition Esters Composition

90% Oleic Acid 53% Diglyceride Monoglyceride

6% Linoleic Acid 4% Triglycerides

3% Stearic Acid 10% Diglycerides

1% Palmitic Acid 3% Triglycerides

23 % free of polyol

                                                   

Example C

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 5, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^Aldo® MO 70 ^NuSun oil 30

NuSun ^™ oil is a medium oil sunflower seed oil commercially available from ADM (Decatur, IL).

Example D

The dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^Aldo® MO 40 ^NuSun oil 40 PGE(2,3-1-O) 20

Example E

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 5, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^Aldo® MO 50 NuSun oil 30 PGE ( ^Mazol® PGO31K) 20

^Mazol® PGO 31K is a polyglycerol ester sample obtained from BASF Corporation (Mount Olive, NJ) and has the following composition:

Fatty Acid Composition Esters Composition

90% Oleic Acid 10% Diglyceride Monoglyceride

6% Linoleic Acid 5% Triglycerides

3% Stearic Acid 17% Diglycerides

1% Palmitic Acid 10% Triglycerides

10 % ionizing polyol

23% Other esters

                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                          

Example F

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 11, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^Aldo® MO 60 ^NuSun oil 35 ^UltraLec® F 5

UltraLec ^(R) F is deoiled, ultrafiltered soy lecithin available from ADM (Decatur, IL).

Example G

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 14, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^Aldo® MO 40 ^NuSun oil 35 PGE(2,3-1-O) 20 ^UltraLec® F 5

Example H

Prepare dough composition according to the method for embodiment A, difference is that dough emulsifier is made up of following components: components % by weight in the mixture PGE(2,3-1-O) 50 ^NuSun oil 50

Example I

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 8, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture PGE(2,3-1-O) 50 ^NuSun oil 45 ^UltraLec® F 5

Example J

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 9, and the dough emulsifier was Panodan ^™ SD - a DATEM available from Danisco Cultor, New Century, KS , and has the following components:

fatty acid composition

64% Linoleic Acid

20% Oleic Acid

7% stearic acid

7% Palmitic Acid

2% other fatty acids

Example K

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 13, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture Panodan ^™ SD 50 ^NuSun oil 50

Example L

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 12, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture Panodan ^™ SD 50 PGE(2,3-1-O) 50

Example M

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, except that the potato chips were the potato chips prepared in Example 10, and the dough emulsifier mixture consisted of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture ^UltraLec® F 20 ^NuSun oil 80

Examples N and O

The following dough emulsifier mixtures were used to prepare finished fat-free snack chips. Components ^* Example N Example O PGE (2, 3-1, 2-IM) 17.5% 35% Lecithin ( ^UltraLec® P) 17.5% 0% ^Olean® 65% 65%

^* Olean® ^available from Procter and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. The lecithin fraction was a commercially available lecithin, UltraLec ^(R) P from ADM, Decatur, IL. The PGE, a mixture of diglycerides and triglycerides mono- and diglycerides of IM fatty acids, was a sample developed by the Lonza Group, Fairlawn, NJ. The PGE has the following composition:

Fatty Acid Composition Esters Composition

73% Oleic Acid 26% Diglyceride Monoglycerides

14% Palmitic Acid 23% Diglycerides

8% Stearic Acid 12% Triglycerides

5% Linoleic Acid 7% Triglycerides

                                               

6% Tetraglycerides

7% Free polyol

                                                   

Dough compositions were prepared using the potato chips prepared in Example 5. Each dough composition contained 35% water, 3% dough emulsifier, and 62% a mixture of the following components: components % by weight in the mixture potato chips 74 Potato flanules (extra large-grain from BasicAmerican Foods, Plover, WI) 10 Precooked waxy cornstarch (Ultrasperse® ^- A), available from National Starch & Chemical Corp., Bridgewater, NJ) 8 Substituted Waxy Corn (N-Creame ^™ 46 from National Starch & Chemical Corp.) 1 Maltodextrin (DE 18 from Grain Proccssing, IA) 7

The potato chips, potato flanules, modified starch and maltodextrin were mixed together in a mixer. (Alternatively, maltodextrin can be dissolved in water and added to the dough.) The emulsifier is heated to create a homogeneous liquid. Using a dough mixer, an emulsifier is added to this dry mix, followed by water (or water and maltodextrin) to form a loose dry dough. The dough is sheeted by feeding it continuously through a pair of sheeting rolls, forming an elastic continuous sheet free of pinholes. The thickness of the sheet was controlled to be about 0.02 inches (0.051 cm). The dough pieces were then cut into oval pieces and fried in Olean ^(R) in a constraint fryer for about 6 seconds at 375°F (191°C) to produce finished products.

Example P

A dough composition was prepared according to the method of Example A, wherein the dough emulsifier was a 50:50 mixture of triglyceride oil (NuSun ^™ oil, as described above) and 2-1-O, DGME from Danisco Cultor, with the following The above components are composed of:

Fatty Acid Composition Esters Composition

90% Oleic Acid 79% Diglyceride Monoglyceride

6% Linoleic Acid 2% Triglycerides

3% Stearic Acid 3% Diglycerides

1% Palmitic Acid 1% Triglycerides

14 % free polyol

1% Other esters

reference document

All of the above patents, publications, and other references are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Claims (14)

1. An improved emulsifier system for the preparation of dehydrated starch components, characterized in that the emulsifier system comprises polyglycerol esters having a polyglycerol backbone with 2 to 10 glycerol units (hereinafter referred to as is "PGE"), further characterized in that no more than 40% of the hydroxyl groups of the polyglycerol esters are esterified with fatty acids. 2. The emulsifier system according to claim 1, characterized in that at least 80% by weight of the PGE has a polyglycerol backbone comprising 2 to 5, preferably 2 or 3, glycerol units. 3. The emulsifier system according to claim 1, characterized in that 20% to 35% of the hydroxyl groups of the PGE are esterified with fatty acids. 4. Improved emulsifier system for the preparation of dehydrated starch components, characterized in that the emulsifier system comprises DATEM. 5. A method for preparing a dehydrated potato component, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cooked potato chips; (b) forming cooked potato chips into mashed potatoes; (c) drying mashed potatoes to provide a dehydrated potato component; (d) optionally comminuting dehydrated mashed potatoes; and (e) adding an emulsifier system at any time prior to forming the dehydrated potato component in step (c); It is characterized in that the emulsifier system comprises an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: (i) polyglycerol esters (PGE) having a polyglycerol backbone comprising 2 to 10 glycerol units, further characterized in that there is no more than 40% of the hydroxyl groups of polyglycerol esters were esterified with fatty acids, (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the emulsifier system comprises PGE, and is further characterized in that at least 80% by weight of the PGE has a polysaccharide comprising 2 to 5, preferably 2 or 3 glycerol units. Glycerin backbone. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein 20% to 35% of the hydroxyl groups of the PGE are esterified with fatty acids. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the emulsifier system comprises PGE, and wherein at least 80% of the ester groups are derived from saturated fatty acids. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the emulsifier system further comprises lecithin. 10. The method of claim 5, wherein the emulsifier system further comprises DATEM. 11. A dehydrated starch component comprising an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of: (i) polyglycerol esters having a polyglycerol backbone comprising 2 to 10, preferably 2 to 5, more preferably 2 or 3 glycerol units (hereinafter referred to as "PGE") characterized in that not more than 40% of the hydroxyl groups of polyglycerol esters are esterified with fatty acids, (ii) DATEM, and (iii) mixtures thereof. 12. A dough composition comprising the following components: (a) 35% to 85% starch-based flour comprising the dehydrated starch component of claim 11; (b) 15% to 50% added water; and (c) Optional dough emulsifier. 13. A method of preparing a finished snack comprising the steps of: (a) forming the dough composition of claim 12 into sheets; (b) cutting the slice into snack pieces; and (c) The snack pieces are fried. 14. Food product comprising the dehydrated starch component according to claim 11, characterized in that the food product is preferably a snack product, more preferably a finished snack product.

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